1956 AC Ace Roadster

AC introduced the Ace at the London Motor Show in October of 1953. Based on a design by John Tojeiro, its sleek bodywork was reminiscent of contemporary Ferrari barchettas. In 1956, the 1,971cc Bristol six-cylinder engine became available, bringing the Ace to Ace-Bristol specification. The engine initially offered 125 horsepower, which rose to 128 in its D2 specification, thanks in part to an increase in compression from 8.5:1 to 9:1.

This particular example was purchased from a British sports car collector in Philadelphia, following a number of years in storage. It has been given a no-expense-spared, ground-up four-year restoration and finished in Aston Martin Almond Green. The interior is Andes Green leather. It has period-correct tires on 16-inch chrome Turrino wire wheels with AC knock-off caps. The Bristol six-cylinder engine is mated to a four-speed manual transmission. There is period-correct Wilton wool, an Everflex convertible top, side curtains, a tool roll, an original jack with rods, and a full-size spare.

Between 1954 and 1963, a total of 686 examples of the Ace-Bristol were produced.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2019